Post navigation

Why The Ice Bucket Challenge Is Stupid

Let’s face it… success is relative, and for me the Ice Bucket Challenge has failed in more areas than it succeeded.

Its biggest success was showing that people were shallower than the buckets of water they were dumping on their heads.

That they were doing was extremely dangerous as these people could easily drown in a puddle of water.

If there is one thing I’ve been made aware of, it’s that.

I just want ONE person to do this and to say “I don’t give a fuck about ALS, I’m just doing it because everyone else is”

Is it so much to ask people to be honest?

The idea is that if you don’t pour a bucket of ice water on your head you have to donate to the ALS Charity, though many of them still donating and giving themselves a pat on the back.

I think the amount of money raised is fantastic even though only a fraction actually goes towards the cause. I also think the reasons on why are superficial and say a lot about humanity. Frankly I’m embarrassed for us all.

I currently live in a third world country, where clean water is harder to come by than in America and awareness comes as simply as walking down the street.

I could easily stand on a Chinese made soap box and spit on those here with my golden American saliva, but I live among them.

This is what I choose.

I spend time helping them, giving them money, feeding them, spending time with them and learning their languages.

It’s easy to judge the world when you spend your time in it, and today I am full of judgment.

Many people here in the Philippines from what I have gathered, think the ice bucket challenge is ridiculously stupid, though its popularity is rising as the media exchanges coverage for ratings.

Perhaps there is awareness to be had outside of our self absorption.

How trivial this all is. To live in our egocentric bubbles, wasting what many are dying because they lack, to help a small few.

Hell, a majority of these people still don’t know what ALS is.

As said on Facebook,

“When you consider the countless A-list celebrities who have actively gotten behind this cause by posting videos– the fact that not more than fifteen million dollars has been raised is a tragedy. It’s tragic because I don’t think many of those celebrities even bothered to mention how or where to donate money for ALS research. Most of them just poured water over their heads and named three random people, without including any “call to action” which actually benefits victims of ALS at all. Had all those celebrities given this cause any thought, hundreds of millions of dollars might have been raised, and a whole lot more awareness. Let’s start a new trend– by actually letting people know how to donate.” ~ Steve-O

Awareness comes from education, and of course no one is bothering to educate themselves beyond learning that they like attention.

The videos that are supposedly spreading awareness?

They don’t mention ALS. They don’t mention what it is, or even where to donate.

It’s clear that the purpose of these videos are NOT to spread awareness. ALS is not the reason people are doing this. Plain and simple.

Do you think anyone here is unaware of how many people die in Africa due to disease and starvation? No, everyone knows. How many people care? Not many. Is it because of a lack of awareness? No, it’s because there isn’t some stupid fad with an ice bucket to make it interesting.

Mark my words, and this is a promise. In a years’ time – no one will give two fucks about ALS. Society will be on to the next bandwagon.

Whether it be the latest celebrity dying, or the next gimmick. People simply will not care unless they have a self-centered reason for doing so.

THIS is America, and it’s not changing. This is what we need to fix.

I was tested for ALS last year. I knew all about it well before any of this. Hell, I knew about it before I got tested.

I didn’t need a bucket to educate myself on this, I didn’t need my friends jumping on a bandwagon to reach it either.

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

About Me

What can I say that hasn't already been said once and then rewritten elsewhere on this site? Nothing? OK, then let's recap. My name is Jordan and my beard and I are currently traveling the world. I also believe in unicorns and I'm sick of writing about myself. Learn more about me »

Get Featured

Want to write a guest article for us or appear on the YouTube show? Of course you do! Learn how »